Thanks to Putnam for the gifted copy of this book!

I am a longtime Falon fan, and I just adore all of her books. This is a fun take on a romance, where the MCs are whisked away in to a Hallmark-adjacent town, forced to out of reality until they complete their series of tasks. Honestly, I would've had the same reaction as Campbell of GET ME OUT OF HERE if I woke up how she did prepped and primed and with all the small-town expectations. I loved crashing through her tasks in Heart Springs with her - because she was not graceful and there were so many laugh-out-loud moments. I was swooning over Ben and his support, even as Cam was forced through an alternate-reality game of MASH that left him too far out of the picture for his liking. This was just a super fun rom com and had Falon's wit and spice, but showed that she can branch out into a more whimsical side of the genre as well.

Magical realism can be hit or miss for me.. I was looking for a light read after a few intense ones so the timing was perfect for this one. Cam was not really likeable but did have some good growth throughout the book. There were approximately 50 too many “sweethearts” that really should have been cut.

The premise behind the book was definitely adorable and unique. I enjoyed the touch of magical realism, the small town vibes and the introspection and personal growth of the main characters. However, I hate to admit this- but Cam was so infuriating throughout the book. I understand to truly highlight the change in her character, she had to be somewhat unlikable but she was so dramatic, selfish and whiny. Another thing that I just couldn’t stand was how many times Ben uses the nickname “sweetheart.” I do really love Falon Ballard’s stories but sadly, this one didn’t work for me.

This was a very cute story with lots of cheesy moments but this was tempered by a healthy dose of spice. I loved the character growth Campbell has throughout and I think the slow burn between her and Ben was done well. I wish we had gotten a little more of their lives before they ended up in Heart Springs in order to see them more fully as complete characters. But, other than that, this is a Hallmark movie in book form and very satisfying for a reader with a sweet craving.

I love this book. Who doesn't want to wake up in your very own Hallmark movie? Campbell Andrews, that's who. Hard-nosed, hardworking, work obsessed lawyer thinks the real world is better than fantasy. Her horror at waking up in a cozy room under a comfy bedspread in a cozy house decorated with too many pillows, it's unbelievable. I'm jealous of waking up with perfect hair and makeup and she's disgusted, describes it as pledging for a sorority look. Her journey from unlikeable to a complete romance movie Christmas loving woman is such fun.

Cam gets her own romantic leading man in Ben Loving, pediatric doctor saving children. It doesn't get more perfect than that. Ben and Cam had one horrible blind date that had fate throwing them together to straighten things out. Ben spends lots of time wearing flannel shirts, making beautiful wood furniture and helping out with the zillion festivals and fairs Heart Springs has. Seems no one in a romantic fantasy show gets sick so he has lots of free time. His return to real life is tied to Cam and her awakening but there's so much more to it. It's an enjoyable read from start to finish.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons publishing.

I want to start by saying that I love Falon Ballard and I have thoroughly enjoyed each and every one of her books. So while this one was not my favorite of hers, there were things that I really liked and I can’t wait to see what she writes next!!

I got major “Isn’t It Romantic?” vibes from this book! The pacing overall felt soooo slow and I wish we had gotten to see more of Ben during the first half of the book. We were unfortunately missing out on Falon Ballard’s great banter! But overall this was cute with Hallmark vibes so it gets a 3/5 from me!

This was such a fast read for me! Being stuck in some alternate reality until certain tasks (dictated by a random third party) are completed sounds like some version of hell. I truly felt so bad for poor Cam. While I understand Mimi's "trickery" to get Cam and Ben together, I didn't like the idea of going on dates with people just because someone is telling you to. In Cam's case I get it, she had to do it to check of a to-do list to escape from this alternate reality. But the other people (specifically Ethan) didn't even necessarily WANT to be going on a date with her, why are they even there?! It didn't make sense to me. I did appreciate the career aspect of it, with Cam finding her version of happy and self-satisfaction with her work. The lack of communication between FMC and MMC was painful, to the point that I wanted to shake them and demand they just tell the other person how they're feeling. I hated it. BUT once feelings were expressed, they were so sweet together, and Ben truly was so sweet and sappy. Thanks Netgalley for the e-ARC!

A love a good realism romance and I enjoyed the latest from Falon Ballard. Flawed characters and a redemption arc are the way to my heart. A fast paced read with quick witty banter and lots of heart.

✨ CHANGE OF HEART ✨
Rating: 4 ⭐️ - I Liked It

❤️ for my LOVERS of romance with some MAGICAL REALISM, enemies-to-lovers, found family, the best SIDE characters, & character development!

❤️ this one was VERY CUTE - the picture perfect, idyllic town, the town’s characters & happenings, it was all very sweet!

❤️ I really loved CAM & her development from the no joy, workaholic lawyer (think Sandra Bullock in The Proposal) to the end (no spoilers) & the three tasks to go home plot all contributed to that!

💔 I can always rely on Falon to deliver short, sweet, bingeable romances but I think this one could have been edited down just a bit? Also, Ben CONSTANTLY calling Cam sweetheart gave me the ICK 😵‍💫

Huge TY as always to @putnam for my advanced copy!

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy! I just couldn't get in the mood for this one, but I do love this author!

I thought this was such a cute book about slowing down, taking stock of your life, and making changes to live a happier life (even if the main character was forced to do this lol). The things she learned about herself and about love was so empowering and I loved seeing how she opened up the more she stayed in the small town. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I really enjoyed it!

I really liked the concept of this one, and I did really want to like it, but it just failed in execution for me. There was just no depth or developement to this book, in any aspect, which made it fall flat on its face for me.
My main issue with this book was our main character. At the start she just didn't feel like a real person, and I couldn't put my finger on why. I don't mind an unlikeable character, but she just seemed like a bit of a charicature to me. However, as this book kept going on she 'grew' I realised what felt so off about her. She just didn't have a personality besides being cold hearted. So once she got a bit more soft around the edges all that was left was an empty husk. On top of that I also just thought the romance was extremely underdeveloped. I could you nothing about our male main character besides the fact that he's a doctor. I feel like we barely got any scenes of our lead together with the love interest, and therefore the romance just completely comes out of nowhere. I did like the few moments they did have together but it just wasn't enough to build a romance out of that I could really find myself rooting for.
The town they get transported into was also just really odd. In the first half of the novel it is pointed out several times how misogynistic this town skews. Our main character is forced to dress in this pastel/girly girl style that doesn't suit her, we get a scene of a woman wanting to run from her own marriage as she feels forced into it just for the town to force her into it, and our main character who encouraged her to run was shamed for it. On top of that there are also some moments that imply these townspeople don't have any agency of their own. However, in the second half of this book it feels like Falon Ballard completely forgot what she herself set up. It just becomes your very typical small town out of a Hallmark movie, with both our main character and her love interest seriously considering just staying. It felt like such a weird reading experience.
So yeah, despite all of those complaints I didn't actively hate this book. I was still recovering from the flue when I read most of this, and it was just a really quick read, and just a perfect relief from how I was feeling. If I could forgot about how the town was written completely differently in the first half I could find myself lost in the small town shenigans in the second half for sure. Overall, there were a few moments I enjoyed but just looking at this book as a whole I just can't help but say the execution was severly lacking on several points.

I'm starting to like magical realism and I think this story falls under that. Cam's character grew in me as I reallly hated her in the beginning - which I guess really is the point of the book. She's a city-girl, career-driven, miss independent who doesn't have time for l-o-v-e. She met Ben from a blind date set by her Grandmother - who she craves approval for since she's raised by her and works for her (family's) firm. The date was short and sweet, bc clearly, Cam isn't interested and we thought that's the end of that. Until she woke up in a whole different town, small- way smaller and she was given "task" to complete before she can go back home. BUT WAIT, there's more: Ben is also in this said town! The whole story is a fun one - again, once you get over Cam's initial snobbiness. The journey to love and acceptance and appreciating the little things and the slowness of time is really my takeaway from this book and I appreciated that little remind tbh.

Read If You Like:
- Small-town romance
- Grumpy/sunshine
- Magical realism
- Self-discovery
- Hallmark-style settings

Change of Heart follows Cam, a workaholic attorney who has little patience for anything but work, including grand romantic gestures or the idea of true love. But when she mysteriously wakes up in the idyllic small town of Heart Springs—a place straight out of a Hallmark movie—the night after a terrible date where she was oh so rude, she finds herself trapped there with her date Ben and their waitress from the night before informs her that until she completes three tasks.

Cam now must do things she hasn’t done in her real life:
🏘️ Become a Valued Member of the Community
👩🏼‍💼 Find a Career she is passionate about
💞 Experience True Love

We then get to witness Cam and her tough exterior crash and burn as she tries out a couple jobs, and slowly start on her journey of self-discovery. I loved the balance of humor and sentimentality, making Campbell’s transformation feel natural, especially as their time continued in the mystical town and they transitioned from one season to the next.

I truly loved the way her completion of each of the three tasks played out, especially with her reframing her thoughts and beliefs about life, her career, and love.

Overall, I wish there was a little more explanation to the magical realism portion of the story as I really wanted to know more about where they ended up and how, but the epilogue gave me some of the warm fuzzies in relation to those answers I was seeking before the end.

Thanks to Putnam for my gifted eARC in exchange for my review!

First let me say that Iove Falon's writing and will definitely be picking up future books.

However, this one just was not for me. I had a hard time connecting with the story and ended up just skipping to the end. The writing is great, it was just the story that didn't resonate with me. I'm sure it will find it's reads though!

I'm going to be be eagerly looking forward to the next Falon Ballard release!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc. All opinions expressed are my own.

The characters are relatable, well-developed, The chemistry between the main characters was strong, and their journey towards understanding each other is touching. The book explores the idea of second chances and shows that it's never too late to change your life.
This was pretty predictable but enjoyed it. This reminded me of a Hallmark movie.
Thank you to Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam - G.P. Putnam's Sons for the arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

DNF unfortunately. By 7% I feel that this is childish and don’t feel connected to the characters at all. The main character is annoying. Thanks anyway for the ARC.

Unfortunately I DNF’d this one at 18%. I really wanted to love it because the plot did sound good, but the MC ruined it for me.

I get that the author was going for ‘grumpy’ but downright mean and horrible doesn’t make a character grumpy, it makes them mean and horrible… PERIOD. You can’t fix that and turn them into anything likable. That’s too deep for a rom-com style book like this. Let’s leave that level of toxic in dark romances where it belongs.

The cursing! I lost track of the F bombs at 10%. That’s wild considering I like to curse. It was even too much for me. It felt like the author was trying to make her seem cool and tough? Maybe if you’re 13, anything else and the word cringe comes mind.

I jumped ship when I started laughing out loud at the audacity of the FMC. On the blind date with the MMC, beside her being beyond rude to him, it was laughable when she acted like she had more integrity then him because she works overtime 😂 The guy saves babies as a living and she’s a lawyer, how unhinged and delusional can you be, haha? All the inner dialogue about how she was pretending to be nice to everyone to fool them into thinking she was nice because she needed their help was WILD!

My comments are not to insult the author, it’s to back up my reasoning for my quick exit in this book. So much cringe worthy stuff happened in that 18% it was mind boggling. I had no desire to continue.

Sadly this one was just not for me, but that is completely okay! Normally I really enjoy Falon Ballards books but for some reason this just fell a bit flat to me